Paul Tamanian Biography
Paul Tamanian has forged a robust sculptural vocabulary, resulting in a two-man show with Jim Dine and a cover article in American Style magazine. From larger than life forms to small, intimate works to exquisite wall pieces, the breadth of Tamanian's aspirations are now being felt. His work is unique in the art world, and is being recognized as such across the U.S.
There are two elements that power Tamanian's work: his relentless experiments with form and his scorched-earth surface treatments. At times Tamanian is able to make aluminum look as delicate and as fragile as glass; at other times his work exudes the roughness of clay or hewn stone.
Paul Tamanian's career has been soaring in the past few years and it is easy to see why. Look at the work. When you see a Tamanian no other artists spring to mind. This is because Paul Tamanian is creating a new language of metal and paint. It will take time for others to follow.
Born in New York, Paul Tamanian has lived in Florida since receiving his degree from Florida State University. He discovered an affinity for clay by attending a pottery class at a local community center. He moved rapidly from basic skills to technical innovation, and then from clay on to aluminum. From his first exhibition at a small gallery in Havana Florida, he has gone on to exhibit and sell works across the United States. He has been invited to show his works in the company of some of America's foremost craftsmen and artists, including William Morris, Jun Kaneko, and Richard Jolley. His works have been commissioned and acquired by noted private and corporate collections nationally.
Donald Miller, an art critic of the Naples Daily News and retired art and architecture critic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, comments:
''It is unusual for a ceramist to move from clay, a soft medium, to a shaped sheet aluminum. Surprisingly, Tamanian has not only transferred his vessel forms into metal. He has also developed glazes of found pigments resembling enamel. The artist has produced a wide range of asymmetric triangular forms: swells and circular arches, as well as flat surfaces he frames to display outdoors.
His impressive harmonies recall Jackson Pollock's drip paintings. But Tamanian has his own rhythmic lyricism. Although random, his designs satisfy the eye because of their compositional balance.
This extends to surfaces displaying the metal's polished sheen. The artist engraves repeating geometric patterns on the aluminum, filling in with black, as the niello artists did. Either way, Tamanian's work is totally seductive.''
EXHIBITIONS: SOLO AND GROUP
Gallery Silecchia, Sarasota, Fl 2008
Nathan D. Rosen Museum, Boca Raton, FL 2007
SOFA, Chicago, IL 2006
Palm Beach 3, Palm Beach, FL, 2005, 2006
Palm Beach Contemporary, Palm Beach, FL, 2004
Fay Gold Gallery, Jim Dine/Paul Tamanian, Atlanta, GA, 2003
Seven-O-Seven Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM, 2003
Art Chicago, Chicago, IL, 2003
ARTform, Palm Beach, FL, 2003
ArtPalmBeach, Palm Beach, FL, 2003
Albers Fine Art, Memphis, TN, 2003
Armory Show, New York, NY, 2003
Fay Gold Gallery, Atlanta, GA, 2003, 2002, 2000
Studio E Gallery, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 2008, 2003, 2002, 1996-1999
Blue Spiral 1, Asheville, NC, 2002, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1996
Florida Capitol, Florida Department of State, 2001
Neiman Hayden Fine Art, Scottsdale, AZ, 2000
The Proctor Gallery, Sedona, AZ, 2003, 2000
Southern Accents Designer Home, Atlanta, GA, 2000
Highline Gallery, Aspen, CO, 2000
J. Cotter Gallery, Beaver Creek, CO, 2000
Boca Raton Museum, FL, 2000
LeMoyne Art Foundation, Tallahassee, FL, 1999, 1993
Florida A&M University, Tallahassee, FL, 1999
Bruce Museum, Greenwich, CT, 1999
Signature Gallery, Tallahassee, FL, 1998
Miller Gallery, Cincinnati, OH, 1998
Anthony Ardavin Gallery, Atlanta, GA, 1997
Aliya/Ardavin Gallery, Atlanta, GA, 1997
Miller Gallery/ Cincinnati Art Museum, OH, 1997
Lee Hansley Gallery, Raleigh, NC, 1997
Newbill Collection by the Sea, Seaside, FL, 1997, 1996, 1995
Aliya Gallery, Atlanta, GA, 1996
621 Gallery, Tallahassee, FL, 1996
Art Works, Jacksonville, FL, 1995
Florida State Museum of Art, Tallahassee, FL, 1995
Albany Museum of Art, Albany, GA, 1994
Thomasville Art Center, Thomasville, GA, 1994
Tallahassee City Hall, FL, 1995, 1993
The Nice Picture Gallery, Havana, FL, 1992
COLLECTIONS: PRIVATE AND CORPORATE
Jim Grey Designs Tallahassee, Fl
Brandt Informatiohn Services Tallahassee, Fl
Florida Commerce Credit Union Tallahassee, Fl
Mad Dog Construction Tallahassee, Fl
Rutledge, Ecenia, Purnell & Hoffman, P.A Tallahassee, Fl
Tallahassee Community College Tallahassee, Fl
Mr. William and Dr. Nolia Brandt Tallahassee, Fl
The Alliance Center Tallahassee, Fl
Jennings and Cindy Knox Tallahassee, Fl
Brad Innes AIA Tallahassee, Fl
Kelly and Laurie Dozier Tallahassee, Fl
Benchmark Construction Tallahassee, Fl
Alan Katz P.A Tallahassee, Fl
The Gem Collection Tallahassee, Fl
Bella Bella, Inc Tallahassee, Fl
Culpepper Contruction Group Talllahassee, Fl
Dodstone Group Tallahassee, Fl
Florida State University School of Medicine, Tallahassee, FL
Ajax Building Corporation, Tallahassee, FL
Akatin Technologies, Portland, OR
Arrow Alembik. P.A., Atlanta, GA
Gary Alembik, P.A., Atlanta, GA
Alton & Bird, Atlanta, GA
Architectural Wood Designs, Tallahassee, FL
BASF Corporation
Halle Berry, Atlanta, GA
Barry Bostwick, Los Angeles, CA
Bobby Bowden, Tallahassee, FL
David Butler, ASID, Tallahassee, FL
City of Tallahassee, FL
Carson & Guest, Atlanta, GA
Casa Deco, Miami, FL
Nicholas Clapham, P.A., Seattle
Dr. Kay Cowin, Tallahassee, FL
John Cram, Asheville, NC
DataMaxx Corporation, Tallahassee, FL
Robert Deison, Tallahassee, FL
Delta Airlines, Atlanta, GA
Dr. G. Powell Drennon, Tallahassee, FL
Steven Ecenia, P.A., Tallahassee, FL
Florida State University Athletic Dept., Tallahassee, FL
Frederick Gallery, St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands
Burton and Barbara Gold, Atlanta, GA
Fay Gold, Atlanta, GA
Mark Griesbach, A1A, Tallahassee, FL
Hermitage Center, Tallahassee, FL
Holland & Knight Law Firm, Tallahassee, FL
IDC Corporation, Tallahassee, FL
Inova Design Group, Tallahassee, FL
Ivan Johnson III, A1A, Tallahassee, FL
Paul Kaufman, Palm Beach Gardens, FL
KD Design, Atlanta, GA
Joel Kelly Design Studio, Atlanta, GA
Dr. Joseph Kirn, DDS, New Orleans, LA
Krause, Humphress, Pace & Wadsworth, Tallahassee, FL
Landy Gardner Interiors, Nashville, TN
Dr. Art & Susan Levy, Atlanta, GA
John Lewis, Tallahassee, FL
Drs. Jessie Lovano-Kerr & Donald Kerr, Tallahassee, FL
McConnaughhay, Roland, Miada, & Cherry, Tallahassee, FL
McKenzie Truck Lines, Tallahassee, FL
Dr. Kim Marcland, George Washington University, Washington, DC
David Monahan, MD, Tallahassee, FL
Monroe Fine Art, Grand Rapids, MI
James Norton Partners, Atlanta, FL
Oetgen Design, Atlanta, GA
The Partnership Design Firm, Atlanta, GA
Katrina Riordan, ASID, Tallahassee, FL
Neil Simon, New York, NY
E. A. Star Interiors, Atlanta, GA
Steve & Mifflin Uhfelder, Tallahassee, FL
Jill Vantosh, ASID, Atlanta, GA
Vivid Communications, Tallahassee, FL
Kevin Wolman Design, Atlanta, GA
Dr. Mary Jo Weale, Tallahassee, FL
MEDIA
American Style, October 2006
Atlanta Magazine Home, Spring 2003
Donald Miller, an art critic of the Naples Daily News and retired art and architecture critic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, comments:
''It is unusual for a ceramist to move from clay, a soft medium, to a shaped sheet aluminum. Surprisingly, Tamanian has not only transferred his vessel forms into metal. He has also developed glazes of found pigments resembling enamel. The artist has produced a wide range of asymmetric triangular forms: swells and circular arches, as well as flat surfaces he frames to display outdoors.
His impressive harmonies recall Jackson Pollock's drip paintings. But Tamanian has his own rhythmic lyricism. Although random, his designs satisfy the eye because of their compositional balance.
This extends to surfaces displaying the metal's polished sheen. The artist engraves repeating geometric patterns on the aluminum, filling in with black as the niello artists did. Either way, Tamanian's work is totally seductive.''
There are two elements that power Tamanian's work: his relentless experiments with form and his scorched-earth surface treatments. At times Tamanian is able to make aluminum look as delicate and as fragile as glass; at other times his work exudes the roughness of clay or hewn stone.
Paul Tamanian's career has been soaring in the past few years and it is easy to see why. Look at the work. When you see a Tamanian no other artists spring to mind. This is because Paul Tamanian is creating a new language of metal and paint. It will take time for others to follow.
Born in New York, Paul Tamanian has lived in Florida since receiving his degree from Florida State University. He discovered an affinity for clay by attending a pottery class at a local community center. He moved rapidly from basic skills to technical innovation, and then from clay on to aluminum. From his first exhibition at a small gallery in Havana Florida, he has gone on to exhibit and sell works across the United States. He has been invited to show his works in the company of some of America's foremost craftsmen and artists, including William Morris, Jun Kaneko, and Richard Jolley. His works have been commissioned and acquired by noted private and corporate collections nationally.
Donald Miller, an art critic of the Naples Daily News and retired art and architecture critic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, comments:
''It is unusual for a ceramist to move from clay, a soft medium, to a shaped sheet aluminum. Surprisingly, Tamanian has not only transferred his vessel forms into metal. He has also developed glazes of found pigments resembling enamel. The artist has produced a wide range of asymmetric triangular forms: swells and circular arches, as well as flat surfaces he frames to display outdoors.
His impressive harmonies recall Jackson Pollock's drip paintings. But Tamanian has his own rhythmic lyricism. Although random, his designs satisfy the eye because of their compositional balance.
This extends to surfaces displaying the metal's polished sheen. The artist engraves repeating geometric patterns on the aluminum, filling in with black, as the niello artists did. Either way, Tamanian's work is totally seductive.''
EXHIBITIONS: SOLO AND GROUP
Gallery Silecchia, Sarasota, Fl 2008
Nathan D. Rosen Museum, Boca Raton, FL 2007
SOFA, Chicago, IL 2006
Palm Beach 3, Palm Beach, FL, 2005, 2006
Palm Beach Contemporary, Palm Beach, FL, 2004
Fay Gold Gallery, Jim Dine/Paul Tamanian, Atlanta, GA, 2003
Seven-O-Seven Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM, 2003
Art Chicago, Chicago, IL, 2003
ARTform, Palm Beach, FL, 2003
ArtPalmBeach, Palm Beach, FL, 2003
Albers Fine Art, Memphis, TN, 2003
Armory Show, New York, NY, 2003
Fay Gold Gallery, Atlanta, GA, 2003, 2002, 2000
Studio E Gallery, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 2008, 2003, 2002, 1996-1999
Blue Spiral 1, Asheville, NC, 2002, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1996
Florida Capitol, Florida Department of State, 2001
Neiman Hayden Fine Art, Scottsdale, AZ, 2000
The Proctor Gallery, Sedona, AZ, 2003, 2000
Southern Accents Designer Home, Atlanta, GA, 2000
Highline Gallery, Aspen, CO, 2000
J. Cotter Gallery, Beaver Creek, CO, 2000
Boca Raton Museum, FL, 2000
LeMoyne Art Foundation, Tallahassee, FL, 1999, 1993
Florida A&M University, Tallahassee, FL, 1999
Bruce Museum, Greenwich, CT, 1999
Signature Gallery, Tallahassee, FL, 1998
Miller Gallery, Cincinnati, OH, 1998
Anthony Ardavin Gallery, Atlanta, GA, 1997
Aliya/Ardavin Gallery, Atlanta, GA, 1997
Miller Gallery/ Cincinnati Art Museum, OH, 1997
Lee Hansley Gallery, Raleigh, NC, 1997
Newbill Collection by the Sea, Seaside, FL, 1997, 1996, 1995
Aliya Gallery, Atlanta, GA, 1996
621 Gallery, Tallahassee, FL, 1996
Art Works, Jacksonville, FL, 1995
Florida State Museum of Art, Tallahassee, FL, 1995
Albany Museum of Art, Albany, GA, 1994
Thomasville Art Center, Thomasville, GA, 1994
Tallahassee City Hall, FL, 1995, 1993
The Nice Picture Gallery, Havana, FL, 1992
COLLECTIONS: PRIVATE AND CORPORATE
Jim Grey Designs Tallahassee, Fl
Brandt Informatiohn Services Tallahassee, Fl
Florida Commerce Credit Union Tallahassee, Fl
Mad Dog Construction Tallahassee, Fl
Rutledge, Ecenia, Purnell & Hoffman, P.A Tallahassee, Fl
Tallahassee Community College Tallahassee, Fl
Mr. William and Dr. Nolia Brandt Tallahassee, Fl
The Alliance Center Tallahassee, Fl
Jennings and Cindy Knox Tallahassee, Fl
Brad Innes AIA Tallahassee, Fl
Kelly and Laurie Dozier Tallahassee, Fl
Benchmark Construction Tallahassee, Fl
Alan Katz P.A Tallahassee, Fl
The Gem Collection Tallahassee, Fl
Bella Bella, Inc Tallahassee, Fl
Culpepper Contruction Group Talllahassee, Fl
Dodstone Group Tallahassee, Fl
Florida State University School of Medicine, Tallahassee, FL
Ajax Building Corporation, Tallahassee, FL
Akatin Technologies, Portland, OR
Arrow Alembik. P.A., Atlanta, GA
Gary Alembik, P.A., Atlanta, GA
Alton & Bird, Atlanta, GA
Architectural Wood Designs, Tallahassee, FL
BASF Corporation
Halle Berry, Atlanta, GA
Barry Bostwick, Los Angeles, CA
Bobby Bowden, Tallahassee, FL
David Butler, ASID, Tallahassee, FL
City of Tallahassee, FL
Carson & Guest, Atlanta, GA
Casa Deco, Miami, FL
Nicholas Clapham, P.A., Seattle
Dr. Kay Cowin, Tallahassee, FL
John Cram, Asheville, NC
DataMaxx Corporation, Tallahassee, FL
Robert Deison, Tallahassee, FL
Delta Airlines, Atlanta, GA
Dr. G. Powell Drennon, Tallahassee, FL
Steven Ecenia, P.A., Tallahassee, FL
Florida State University Athletic Dept., Tallahassee, FL
Frederick Gallery, St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands
Burton and Barbara Gold, Atlanta, GA
Fay Gold, Atlanta, GA
Mark Griesbach, A1A, Tallahassee, FL
Hermitage Center, Tallahassee, FL
Holland & Knight Law Firm, Tallahassee, FL
IDC Corporation, Tallahassee, FL
Inova Design Group, Tallahassee, FL
Ivan Johnson III, A1A, Tallahassee, FL
Paul Kaufman, Palm Beach Gardens, FL
KD Design, Atlanta, GA
Joel Kelly Design Studio, Atlanta, GA
Dr. Joseph Kirn, DDS, New Orleans, LA
Krause, Humphress, Pace & Wadsworth, Tallahassee, FL
Landy Gardner Interiors, Nashville, TN
Dr. Art & Susan Levy, Atlanta, GA
John Lewis, Tallahassee, FL
Drs. Jessie Lovano-Kerr & Donald Kerr, Tallahassee, FL
McConnaughhay, Roland, Miada, & Cherry, Tallahassee, FL
McKenzie Truck Lines, Tallahassee, FL
Dr. Kim Marcland, George Washington University, Washington, DC
David Monahan, MD, Tallahassee, FL
Monroe Fine Art, Grand Rapids, MI
James Norton Partners, Atlanta, FL
Oetgen Design, Atlanta, GA
The Partnership Design Firm, Atlanta, GA
Katrina Riordan, ASID, Tallahassee, FL
Neil Simon, New York, NY
E. A. Star Interiors, Atlanta, GA
Steve & Mifflin Uhfelder, Tallahassee, FL
Jill Vantosh, ASID, Atlanta, GA
Vivid Communications, Tallahassee, FL
Kevin Wolman Design, Atlanta, GA
Dr. Mary Jo Weale, Tallahassee, FL
MEDIA
American Style, October 2006
Atlanta Magazine Home, Spring 2003
Donald Miller, an art critic of the Naples Daily News and retired art and architecture critic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, comments:
''It is unusual for a ceramist to move from clay, a soft medium, to a shaped sheet aluminum. Surprisingly, Tamanian has not only transferred his vessel forms into metal. He has also developed glazes of found pigments resembling enamel. The artist has produced a wide range of asymmetric triangular forms: swells and circular arches, as well as flat surfaces he frames to display outdoors.
His impressive harmonies recall Jackson Pollock's drip paintings. But Tamanian has his own rhythmic lyricism. Although random, his designs satisfy the eye because of their compositional balance.
This extends to surfaces displaying the metal's polished sheen. The artist engraves repeating geometric patterns on the aluminum, filling in with black as the niello artists did. Either way, Tamanian's work is totally seductive.''
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